The Story Behind Ora Rosa

What happens when you infuse premium mezcal with dried rose pedals? Answer: an amazing cocktails emerges. Our talented team behind the bar at Level2 has put together a new cocktail for summer that's sure to taste unlike anything you've ever tried. Here our resident Spirits and Beer Director/Barman, Stephen Kurpinsky, shares the story behind our current Cockail of the Moment, "Ora Rosa".

Born out of a collaboration between our Level2 General Manager, Sam and I, we took one of our favorite variations of a classic cocktail, the Mezcal Last Word and "plussed" or upscaled it into something one of a kind. We take Mezcal joven and infused it with dried rose pedals which gives the cocktail a beautiful rose hew, as well as a more rosy floral note. That is mixed with the usual green chartreuse and maraschino liqueur, as well as the juice of limes that we applewood cold smoke. To add a final, subtle complexity through bitterness, we add a tincture of gentian root. The cocktail is shaken to proper dilution and coldness, then fine strained into a vintage coupe glass and garnished with dried rose pedals. Cheers!